2008 Kia Rondo Problems

Above Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2008 Kia Rondo.

20072009
Complaints
139
Crashes
18
Fires
0
Injuries
15
Fatalities
Recalls
2

Worst 2008 Kia Rondo Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#118 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:79,418 mi
Crash-related:8
#216 complaints

Fuel System

Avg mileage:114,561 mi
#311 complaints

Engine Problems

Avg mileage:108,673 mi
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2008 Kia Rondo.

Airbags
18
complaints
Crashes
8
Fires
Avg Miles
79,418
Fuel System
16
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
114,561
Engine Problems
11
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
108,673
Unintended Acceleration
11
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
62,139
Steering Defects
8
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
64,878
Suspension Failures
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
94,806
Electrical Faults
6
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
70,167
Gasoline Fuel System
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
98,000
Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Automatic Transmission
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Brakes
4
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
Structural Problems
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Body Structure
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine & Cooling
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Headlight/Taillight Failures
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structure:Body:Door
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Wheel Issues
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electronic Stability Control
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Latches / Locks
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Transmission / Drivetrain
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Lever And Linkage:Floor Shift
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Service Brakes, Air:Antilock:Abs Warning Light
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Hydraulic Brakes
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Suspension:Rear
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2008 Kia Rondo. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2008 Kia Rondo

2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~1,126,132 vehicles.

13V114000Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
~980,377 affected

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

12V014000Air Bags:frontal
~145,755 affected

KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC. (KIA) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2008 KIA OPTIMA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 29, 2005, THROUGH JANUARY 29, 2008, AND MODEL YEAR 2007 AND 2008 KIA RONDO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 13, 2006, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2008. THE CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY FOR THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) MAY BECOME DAMAGED THROUGH USAGE OVER TIME. IF THE CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY BECOMES DAMAGED, THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT WILL EXPERIENCE A HIGH RESISTANCE CONDITION POTENTIALLY CAUSING THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG TO NOT DEPLOY.

Other Kia Rondo Years

2008 Kia Rondo — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2008 Kia Rondo reliable?
Verdict: Above Average Complaints. The 2008 Kia Rondo has 139 NHTSA complaints, 18 crash-related, and 2 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Airbags with 18 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2008 Kia Rondo?
Top reported problems: Airbags (18 complaints, avg 79,418 mi); Fuel System (16 complaints, avg 114,561 mi); Engine Problems (11 complaints, avg 108,673 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2008 Kia Rondo?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 88,312 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2008 Kia Rondo?
NHTSA complaints for the 2008 Kia Rondo include 18 crash-related reports, 0 fire reports, 15 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2008 Kia Rondo have any recalls?
Yes — 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,126,132 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2008 Kia Rondo?
Slightly worse than average. Most owners are fine; problem clusters are concentrated around specific components. Check the issues table below and match against the specific car's mileage.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Kia Rondo reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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